Internet coverage has been spotty, so missed my window to post yesterday, so today is a “two-fer“ for your reading enjoyment (I hope!😉)

Yesterday was a very full day as we headed out from Richland, Washington and made the forty-five minute drive to Pendleton, Oregon to explore the infamous underground city and then go to the Tamastslikt Cultural Institute.

Why Pendleton? Because no other town has a more colorful history. It was known as the entertainment capital of Eastern Oregon at the turn of the 20th century by providing for the “needs” (gaming parlors, bars and brothels) of the hundreds of young men who worked in the area on ranches, mines and farms.

In the 1980s, Pendleton excavated and has recreated its underground city which had housed places like the Shamrock Card Room, Hop Sing’s Chinese Laundry, and the Empire Ice Cream Parlor. Yesterday, I walked through its tunnels beneath the sidewalls to stand under prism glass and go through secret passageways to a prohibition Card Room and into the Duck Pin Bowling Alley where the Triple Nickels and Doolittle Raiders that trained during World War II.

Additionally, the town’s Pendleton Round-Up—the first one was held in 1910 with the goal of being “a frontier exhibition of picturesque pastimes, Indian and military spectacles, cowboy racing and bronco busting for the championship of the Northwest.” It has lived up to expectations, and more throughout its 100-year history, and due to the Native American participation, strong volunteerism, and community support has become one of the largest and most beloved rodeos on the continent.

One of the most fun finds in Pendleton was a shop called Alexander’s. It is an artisan chocolatier whose free European sipping chocolate samples are some of the best I have ever tasted!

From Pendleton, we then went to Tamastslikt Cultural Institute. The Cayuse, Umatilla, and Walla Walla Tribes have come together to create a place where their storied past, contemporary culture, and bright economic future are shared through world-class exhibits and interactive displays. The result is that local, regional, and national history is interpreted through the voices, collective memories, objects, and images of the native peoples.

Along the way, we also traversed along part of the Oregon Trail, and then after a full day of cruising today, we finally arrived at the end of the Trail in The Dalles.

After we arrived this afternoon, we then got to hike to one of the camp sites of the Lewis & Clark expedition.

Fascinating to stand upon the ground which Lewis and Clark camped and spent time, and to see what they saw more than 220 years ago.

But before we got The Dalles, we had to spend time traversing more dams!

I have to admit that an absolutely fascinating and intriguing part of this cruise has been the traversing through the dam system that is along both the Snake and Columbia Rivers. Today was a cruising day as we traversed three different dams, and at each one watched the engineering feat of pure gravity and hydro power lower the ship down to the river below the dam.

Below are pictures of the process…

Absolutely amazing to watch this process be done over and over. Although this technology dates back to the ancient Egyptians, the scale with which it has been accomplished here in the Pacific Northwest is astounding as the largest descent our ship made was more than 107 feet at John Day Dam!

In case it’s not obvious, I am in awe at the engineering feat accomplished, but…

One of the impacts of the dams being put in along the river was the flooding of ancient fishing grounds that had been fished continually for more than 10,000 years.

Yes, that is 10,000 years.

Just think about it. An area that was two times older than the Egyptian pyramids were flooded in less than 4 hours for the sake of “progress.”

That makes you stop and wonder too.

So, as I continue this journey, I will be pondering about the intersection of ancient and new and the responsibility we have to integrate the best of both by striving for the proper perspective that ensure each one is given its proper reverence and due.

Supposed to do some kayaking tomorrow to have a chance to get close to nature, but there is some possible threatening weather, so will let you know how it turns out tomorrow.

Until then, God bless and AMDG!